[Tim Seaton]

just got my tinker blunt just wondering y the last 8 inches of the blade vry thin and in my opinon too flexable not what i would have exspected from a tinker /hnwy any one have any answers ? please

tim seaton

[Justin King]

Without seeing it I cannot comment directly, but there have been a number of questions and comments lately about the flexibility of sparring swords. They are made to be flexible for safety. Have someone jab you in the chest with a length of 1/2" rebar and the need for flexibility should become painfully obvious. A rigid blade will transfer the full force of a thrust to your opponent in a very short, sharp impulse. A flexible blade absorbs some energy and transfers the rest more gradually, lessening the impact and reducing the chances of an over-extended lunge or accidental strike causing serious injury to the person who recieves it. In some cases a sparring sword will be more flexible than might be typical of an actual sharp fighting sword of the same type, although many who have extensively handled original swords have commented that they can be surprisingly flexible. In the case of sparring weapons this is sometimes a sacrifice that is made to allow contact sparring without the need for over-encumbering armor in order to be safe, and is also a liability issue for the makers.

[Michael Pearce]

Hi Tim;
Justin has it spot-on. You will note that while the tip is flexible the rest of the blade is quite rigid. If the entire sword were as rigid injuries from thrusts would be much more likely. This sword like all sparring swords (and indeed all swords) is a compromise. I was going for realistic weight, balance and handling along with enough safety to allow experienced practitioners to free--spar with a degree of safety( provided that the blade was fitted with an appropriate tip.) I based this design on many years experience at fencing with rapiers and rather a lot of longsword work in recent years. Even so we knew from the start that there would be folks that wouldn't find this sword suitable.

It has also been commented that the edge gets rather thin towards the tip- this is never supposed to get any thinner than 1mm. except for possibly the tip which should be covered with an archery-blunt fitted inside with a washer and secured to the tip with tape (standard practice for rapier fencing.) If used with an appropriate level of control and skill these swords should be quite suitable for sparring when so tipped. I will be discussing this with CAS/H- I think that this needs to be adequately explained to potential purchasers. I will also recommend that CAS/H might provide with the sword, or at least offer as an accessory, an optional tip such as they provide for some of their fencing sabers and other swords.

No sparring sword is going to be perfect for everyone or suit everyones taste. Nor is any sparring sword perfectly safe. I shouldn't have to mention that sparring should be done with great control and only under the supervision of an experienced instructor or by experienced practitioners and that appropriate protective clothing and equipment should be worn at all times..

I would encourage anyone that experiences issues with these swords to report them not only to the sword community but directly to CAS/Hanwei so that they will be aware of any issues that arise and be in a better position to correct them. CAS/Hanwei has shown a great degree of commitment to insuring quality and consistency on this project; I believe that if issues arise they will be quick to correct them. That being said this is a brand-new product and CAS/Hanwei will have to wait for a consensus before addressing issues with the basic design.

[Tim Seaton]

good morro all
I never meant that there was any thing wrong with the blunt i just never seen a flex tip like that before the long sword blunt.
is vry well balanced and well built ,handles well moving through guards, strikes, and paires, its heavy enuff for a man and light enuff for a woman to weild .its the perfect practice long sword
thx for replying
tim seaton